Maine gets $1.2 million in settlement with producer of diabetes drug Avandia

AUGUSTA, Maine — The state of Maine will receive more than $1.2 million from a settlement with a pharmaceutical company accused of unlawfully misrepresenting the health effects and safety profile of the diabetes drug Avandia.

Attorney General William Schneider said Friday that Maine has joined 37 other states in a $90 million settlement with GlaxoSmithKline LLC.

“Patients rely on safety claims made by pharmaceutical companies,” Schneider said. “This settlement will help ensure that patients are not put at risk by misleading marketing.”

A complaint and consent decree were filed in Kennebec County Superior Court on Thursday alleging that GlaxoSmithKline promoted the drug to health care providers with false and misleading claims about its safety and cardiovascular benefits.

Story continues below advertisement.

“The drug may actually have increased patient risks,” said a newsrelease from the Office of the Attorney General.

Under the terms of the consent judgement, GlaxoSmithKline has agreed to change how it promotes the drug and is barred from making false or deceptive claims, making safety claims that aren’t supported by evidence, presenting once-favorable information that has since been disproven, promoting investigational drugs or misusing statistics.